Changeable exhibitor



Sept. 2, 1930.. D. A. J. THOMAS GHANQEABLE EXHIBITOR Filed 001'.. 12, 1928 Inventor Sept. 2, 1930. D.v A. J. THOMAS CHANGEABLE EXHIBITOR Filed om.` 12. 1928 2 sheets-sheet 2 |ullnnnunn.ulnnnununn l I D a v 0 DD Inventor Patented Sept. 2, 1930 PATENT OFFICE A:DAVIDV AN'ITI-IONY JOSEPH THOMAS, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS CHANGEALE EXHIBITOR Application filed October 12, 1928. 4Serial No. 312,175.

This invention relates to new and useful `improvements in changeable exhibitors, and aims to provide an exhibitor constructed as to employ natural or artificial light emanating 5 from an-ysource not associated with the exhibitor in illuminating a traveling advertisement carrying stripprovided as an essential element of the exhibitor. Generally the invention has to do with what is now known as day light signs. That is signs that include generally an advertisement carrying panel illuminated by the sun light or by thc lights within the street. The present device is however an improvement over this now well known type of sign in that means is provided Vwhereby the various advertisements slowly change for the obvious purpose of providing a sign wherein a plurality of words or various advertisements may be displayed.y Further- '20Ymore, the present device may be manufactured and marketed at low cost, and furthermore, the same may be operated at minimum expenditure.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view as the nature of the invention will be better understood, the same comprises the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

Y Y In the drawings, whereinY like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

t Figure l is a front elevation of my changeable exhibitor.

' Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal cross section.

Figures 3 and d are vertical transverse cross sections taken substantially upon the lines Sf and tof Figure 2,'and looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the endless advertisement carrying strip employed in association with the invention.

Now having particular reference to the drawings,V my novel exhibitor consists of a housing 5 of suitable construction and of any predetermined dimensions which depend of course upon the manner in which the exhibitor is to be used. This housing is open at its top side and provided at said side with a hinge door 6 within which is a transparent panel 7 either plain or colored to permit natural or artificial light rays to pass into the housing. The front wall of said housing is provided throughout themajor portion of its area with a transparent, preferably uncolored panel 8, while located longitudinally within the housing and at approximately forty live degree angle is a reflector panel 9. Mounted transversely within the housing and adjacent the four corners thereof are rotating rollers ll trained around which is an endlessstrip of material l2 of any desired formation carrying throughout its length transparent advertisement markings or indicia 13, as in Figures l and 5. At one edge of this endless strip l2 the same is formed with sprocket teeth receiving slots 14, while the adjacent end of one .of the lowermost rollers-ll is equipped with a sprocket gear l5, this roller being operatively geared or other wise connected with a small electric motor lo located within the'housing 5, see Figures 2 and 4. Arranged at the inside of the housing beneath the reflector panel 9 and rigidly secured to the opposite side walls of said housing are longitudinally extending opposed Y pairs of roller supporting bars 17ml?, l8l8,

the opposed bars 18-18 being arranged in Vposition above the other pair of opposed bars 1?-17 as clearly illustrated in thesey two views. Gpposed faces of these bars are provided vvith sockets 17 and 18 to receive thc end pintles of transversely arranged endless strip guide rollersl 17al andlSa. The said endless strip. 12 is guided around these rollers -in themanner as indicated in Figure 2, these Vrollers Vobviously compensating for any'slack within thefendless strip, the rollers being, as

is apparent, adjustable relative to one another.

It will ofcourse be obvious that the advertising matter of the strip l2 will be visible through theglass panel 8 in the front wall of the housing, by reason of the data being `projected onto the reflector-9, this being accomplished by the passage of light rays through 4the panel 7 onto the endless strip.

In view of the foregoing description when lconsidered in conjunction with the accom- `vvithiir its upper and onevof its side Walls, a Yreflector located longitudinallyV within-*the i panying drawing it will be apparent that I have provided a novel, simple, useful and inexpensive changeable exhibitor that is well adapted for all the purposes heretofore des-- ignated, and even though I have herein shown and described the invention as consisting ofI certain' detail structural elements Vit is, nevertheless to-be understood that some changes .may be made therein without affecting the yspirit andscopeof the appended claims4 Y Having thus described the invention," what l, claim as new and desire to secure 'by Letters Patent is i Y Y 1. In an exhibitoriofthe class described,... the combination of ahousing having -al glass causing the movement of the tape around said rollers, afpair 'of spaced idle rollers arranged beneath thereflector and over which said endless tape is trained for. taking up slack in said tape, supports for said last named rollers, and said supports being provided` with spaced 'sockets adaptedft'o receivethe `ends of said ik last mentioned rollersl for rotatably'supporting the saine within the housing.

. Li. n'an exhibitor of thefclassedescribednn combination,a'housing having Vaglass within .its uppenand one of its side walls, a reector located longitudinallyT within the 1- housing and at'. anapproximate angle of forty five degrees, a plurality ofendless tape rollers arbeing arranged to provide an upper run longitudinally of the box intermediate thetop of said boxand saidA reflector, rand means fory mounting certain two of said rollerscfor relativev adjustment toward or away lfrom one another Afor .taking up 'slack-insaid tape.V c Y lntestimeny whereof I aiiix myv signature. v Y Y Y DAViD ANTHONY'JOSEPH THOMAS.

within the 'housing' operatively associated. Y

with said one roller for rotating the same"v 1 for causing the movement of the tape around said rollers. V-

' 2. In an exhibitor of the character described, the combination ofa-housing having a glass panel within its upper and one of its VVside walls, an angularly disposed reflector loj cated within the h'ousingl and extending' longitudinally tliereof,endless tape'rollers arranged within the housingYK adjacent the four corners thereof, onev ofi'said rollers beingy 'l vequipped with a gear, an endless tape having advertising media formed thereon trained around said rollers, the marginal edge ofsaid endless tape being provided with a plurality of spaced openings adapted to engage the' teeth of said gear, a pair of spaced idle-rollers arranged beneath the reflector rand over' which said endless tape istrained, means for mounting said pair of idle rollersfor adjustf v ment' with respecttoone another forjtaking f up slack in said tape', an electric'motor within the housing, and means operativelylcon- -necting the motor with saidfone roller for causing the movement of the tape aroundsaid rollers. v

3. in an exhibitor of the character described, thecombination of a housing having a glass within its upper and one of its side p walls, a reflector located longitudinally within the housing and at kan. approximate 'angle -of forty-five degrees, endless tape rollers'arrangedv within the housingy adjacent the four iarcorners thereof, an endless tape having advertising media thereon and trained around said rollers, means Awithin the housing for u v ranged within said housingy'an endless tape Y having advertising media' arranged thereon adapted toniove over said rollers, saidrollersy ieu 1 "lief 

